'I took four but could have had six or seven'

'I took four but could have had six or seven'

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni might be content with it but off-spinner Harbhajan Singh finds it incomprehensible that West Indies managed to force a draw in the third and final Test in Dominica.

"I took four but could have had six or seven. That's fate," rued Harbhajan even as the two centurions, Kirk Edwards and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, acknowledged the perennial threat the off-spinner posed on a flat track.

Chanderpaul was twice dropped by Rahul Dravid in the slips and at least thrice Edwards popped chances to which the close-in cordon reacted late.

India drew the final Test after deciding to abandon what looked like an exciting chase despite having seven wickets in hand to take the series 1-0.

A little luck would have been in complete conformity with Harbhajan's rising graph on foreign pitches. Starting 2009, Harbhajan took 16 wickets from three Tests in New Zealand with the best of 6-63 in Hamilton and an average of 21.38.

Last year, he had 7 for 120 at Newlands against a formidable South African batting line-up. In all, he finished with 15 wickets at 29.60 from three Tests.

'I too have succumbed to this constant nonsense'

He too was deemed to flourish only on sub-continental pitches and nobody was yet willing to term him great before he started picking up wickets regularly abroad.

"I too have succumbed to this constant nonsense. I tried to bowl this classical loop, flighting it on the off-stump and trying to open up that gap between the bat and pad of a right-hander.

"It was in the Centurion Test of the last series against South Africa. Batsmen could slog-sweep without worrying on LBW since their front foot was outside the off-stump. Even the off-side field was easily manipulated. Jacques Kallis got a double century. Hashim Amla could score at will.

"I am thankful to what Ravi (Shastri) bhai then advised me. He asked me to look to bowl at the off-stump or the fourth stump, keep a widish mid-off and midwicket. If the batsmen tried to push it between bowler and mid-off, he could offer a return catch. If he tried to lap it on the onside, there was midwicket. The entire field could move with the batsman.

"It worked brilliantly. I got 7 for 120 in the next Test. Amla, in both the remaining Tests."

'Classical spinners operated in eras when batsmen were not scooping'

Not easily remembered is his 4 for 10 from seven-odd overs in the Durban Test. It gave India levers of advantage in the game even after scoring 205 in the first innings.

They ended up winning the Test.

"Classical spinners operated in eras when batsmen were not scooping, slogging or reverse sweeping. Today, hitting over the top is a norm. Bats are so much meatier. Teams don't make 200 runs in a day any longer.

"Another factor no longer remembered is that visiting batsmen are not afraid of spin in the sub-continent.

"They travel so much to our part of the world, be it as a member of the A teams; the ever-increasing number of series; the exposure in IPL. They are getting better at handling spin all the time."

'I find it strange that it's me who has to prove against all new off-spinners'

There is also a hyped up confrontation between Harbhajan and Graeme Swann for their different yet highly successful bowling styles.

"I find it strange that it's me who has to prove against all new off-spinners when it should be the other way around. If lasting 13 years in international cricket was that easy, you would have had dozens and not a mere four spinners in the 400-plus list.

"Having said that, it would of interest to me to see how Swann turns up against our batting greats."

And how he himself would bowl to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman?

"They all are different. Against Sachin, I would like to plug his run-scoring areas -- the whip through onside; the paddle sweep, the late cut he imparts against full pitched deliveries. Fields for Dravid and Laxman would also be different."